Report: AI's success in healthcare relies on quality data

The healthcare industry is primed for artificial intelligence to reshape the delivery of medical care, according to a group of independent scientists. But the technology can only live up to its hype if AI algorithms have access to high-quality data sets. In a report (PDF) commissioned by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), an advisory group of scientists and academics known as JASON acknowledged the significant hype surrounding AI. But they also pointed to a "confluence" of forces that are likely to drive AI adoption, including frustration with legacy systems, widespread use of networked devices and the public's broader acclimation to services like Amazon that emphasize convenience. "Most importantly, the report indicates that the use of artificial intelligence in health and healthcare is promising--and doable," officials with ONC, AHRQ and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation wrote in a blog post.